The present invention relates to automotive engine cooling and air conditioning systems, and more particularly to a module which facilitates easy installation and servicing of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly components thereof.
Internal combustion engines used for automotive applications utilize a cooling system for assuring proper cooling of the engine during its operation. The cooling system includes a radiator and a fan assembly which provides an atmospheric heat dump for a circulating liquid coolant. Additionally, many motor vehicles now include, either as an option or as standard equipment, passenger compartment air conditioning. Air conditioning also must have an atmospheric heat dump to operate properly, in this case via a condenser through which heated refrigerant circulates.
Conventionally, the condenser and radiator are rectangularly shaped of more or less comparable dimensions and placed in a closely-spaced, stacked relationship at a vehicle location whereat air flow therethrough is facilitated. In this regard, a fan assembly is placed adjacent the condenser/radiator pair so as to assure air flow therethrough even in situations where the motor vehicle is stationary.
Further, it is conventional practice to independently mount the condenser, radiator and fan assembly to the framework of the motor vehicle. Additionally, it is normal practice to provide integrally interconnected coolant inlet/outlet fittings to the radiator for removably connecting thereto a respective coolant hose.
While the conventional condenser, radiator and fan assembly practice provides adequate refrigerant and coolant cooling, there are a number of drawbacks with the conventional practice. For example, the discrete nature of the components necessitates individual shipment, storage and installation of each of the components into a motor vehicle. Further for example, should servicing of any one of the components become necessary, the interrelated mounting connections generally necessitates removal of at least one other component in order to access the problem component. Further yet for example, short overhang configured vehicles present installation and servicing difficulties with respect to the conventional practice due to the imposed compactness of such designs.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a configuration for the condenser, radiator and fan assembly components which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.
The present invention is a condenser, radiator and fan assembly module, hereinafter referred to simply as a xe2x80x9cCRF module,xe2x80x9d for providing modular installation and simplified individual servicing of the components thereof.
The CRF module according to the present invention includes a condenser, a radiator, a fan assembly, and a module frame having a set of channels for respectively receiving therein each of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly. In a preferred configuration, the module frame has a fan assembly channel at a forward end, a condenser channel at a rear end, and a radiator channel situated therebetween.
In operation of the CRF module, each of the condenser, the radiator and the fan assembly are slidably received into its respective channel. A floor of the module frame may be disassembled to facilitate individual sliding removal of any of the condenser, radiator or fan assembly. To facilitate sliding installation and removal of the radiator, the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting are each threadably engaged into a respective threaded opening in the tank of the radiator. In this regard, an annular flange of the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting compresses a gasket relative to the tank, thereby ensuring a leak-proof seal. The module frame has openings formed therein to accommodate, respectively, the coolant inlet/outlet fittings and the transmission fluid inlet/outlet fittings of the radiator, as well as the refrigerant inlet/outlet fittings of the condenser.
The module frame provides a modular integration of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly, which simplifies motor vehicle assembly operations. One unique reason for this simplification is that the CRF module is preferably preassembled and then shipped to the manufacturing plant as a unit, simplifies individual servicing of each of the aforesaid components over the life of the vehicle, and provides a unified, compact package suitable for installation in short overhang configured vehicles.
The CRF module allows modularity build with component build for serviceability, and has, among others, the following benefits and advantages: warranty cost reduction and less service labor; ease of manufacturing wherein the module frame serves as a shipping container, and the CRF module can be installed xe2x80x9cas isxe2x80x9d into a vehicle at the assembly plant; parts reduction, in that the need for various radiators specific to certain models of vehicle are obviated due to interchangeable water necks and interfaced bracketing to fit a standard module frame; and ease of service, in that all components are serviceable from top or bottom, independent of the others, and the required service envelope is reduced (the size of the service envelope being just the access load path used for manufacturing).
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a modular integration of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly of a motor vehicle to thereby simplify assembly and servicing operations.
This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.